Fuel-briquet.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL J. SCHNEIDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUEL-BRIQUET.

F0 Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J. SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements 'in Fuel-Briquets, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of the invention is to proaterial with soa while moderately heatg said mixture say in a hot Water bath, so as to incite the softening of the soap. I prefer to employ hard soda soap, which is advantageously reduced to small pieces or shavings before being added to the molasses. After the soap has been sufiiciently softened and a uniform mixture has been obtained,

. the latter is added to a suitable quantity of coal dust or waste that has been reduced to a moderately fine powder. After these ingredients have been well intermingled in a suitable mixing machine, a solution of alum is added which has been previously dissolved in about its own weight of boiling water, whereupon all of the above ingredients are thoroughly intermixed until a uniform mass is obtained in the form of a semi-dry powder. The latter is then molded into briquets of convenient size by the aid of a power press, whereupon the briquets are dried in a current of warm dry air, to be then ready for shipment and use.

By the above described admixture of soap and alum to the molasses which constitutes the binding agent proper, aluminum oleate will be formed owing to the action of the alum on the fatty or oleic acid of the soa which aluminum oleate by being broug t closely in contact with the small particles of the coal and binder, acts as a waterproofing agent.

If the mixing of the above composition has been faith ullyv attendedto, there is nothing more required; but I am well aware Specification of Letters fateh't.

that this. work must of necessity be done by unskilled labor which can not alwaysbe relied upon, and in order to make sure of a perfect product, I deem it advisable to treat the briquets further by passing the dried product first through a solution of soap and then through one of alum, thereby forming a coating of aluminum oleate which adheres firmly to the briquets giving them an extra protection against absorption of moisture. The strength of the-solution of soap and alum ma be regulated according to the thickness 0 the waterproof coating desired, the alum should, however, be in excess so as to completely neutralize the soap.

In making up my improved composition for the molding of briquets, I use per each ton of coal dust, etc, about fifteen gallons of molasses, fifteen pounds of soap and.

twenty-five pounds of alum, but it is obvious that such proportions may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. From the above it is evident that the binding agent used, generates considerable heat of its own during combustion and therefore does not act as an inert matter (such as cement, lime, laster of-Paris, etc.), it produees no un leasant odor and burns without smoking.- riquets made as described, will hold in the fire so that they can be poked like ordinary coal. i

I claim 1. Process of making fuel briquets which consists in preparing a first mixture of molasses and soap, intermixing coal dust with said first mixture to form a second mixture, adding a solution of alum to the second mixture, moldin the mass thus obtained into briquets, an drying said briquets.

' c 2. Process of making fuel briquets which of making fuel briquets which 3. Pro consists in ire aring a first mixture of fifteen gallons 0 molasses and fifteen pounds of soap, intermixing one ton of coal dust Patented May 1, 1915.

Application filed December 9, 1914. Serial No. 876,254. 1

with said first mixture to form a second following proportions; one ton of coal dust, mixture, adding a solution of twenty-five fifteen gallons of molasses, fifteen pounds of pounds of alum to the second mixture, moldsoap, and twenty-five pounds of alum.

ing the mass thus obtained into briquets, CARL J. SCHNEIDER. and drying said briquets. Witnesses:

4. A fuel briquet manufactured from a ARTHUR E. ZUMPE,

mixture of materials composed in about the IDA O. KRUMM. 

